ASPIRA of PA Celebrates Its 44th Anniversary

    PHILADELPHIA, PA, August 23, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- It's hard to believe that it's been over 44 years since ASPIRA of PA was founded. When ASPIRA of PA first began working in North Philadelphia, it was a much smaller community-based organization with a focus on developing the leadership potential of Puerto Rican students through afterschool clubs. For nearly 30 years, ASPIRA of PA continued to focus its efforts solely on out of school time (OST) programming, until 1998 when ASPIRA of PA founded Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School. For 10 years, ASPIRA of PA helped to grow and expand Hostos Charter into one of the premiere K-8 schools in the greater Philadelphia area (with a current wait list of approximately 650 students).

In 2008, ASPIRA of PA made an unprecedented shift as it expanded from a community-based organization to a charter management organization. That same year, ASPIRA of PA founded Antonia Pantoja Charter School, a technologically-rich school with laptop carts, smart boards, and a music recording studio. In just its second year of operation the school achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and it currently has a wait list of over 400 students. ASPIRA of PA's expansion continued in 2010 and 2011, when ASPIRA of PA was awarded the management of turnaround schools from the School District of Philadelphia (now named John B. Stetson Charter School and Olney Charter High School), while also founding the first ever bilingual cyber charter school in the state of Pennsylvania (ASPIRA Bilingual Cyber Charter School).

To date, ASPIRA of PA currently manages five charter schools, a preschool (Pequenos Pasos de ASPIRA) that hosts 375 students, and several extended day programs and community empowerment initiatives. While ASPIRA of PA has experienced rapid growth and expansion in recent years, it continues to hold fast to the ideals and values that it was founded upon 44 years ago - advocacy, education, and leadership development of Latino and other vulnerable youth in Philadelphia. Stay tuned for more information about ASPIRA of PA's 45th anniversary celebration coming soon!

ASPIRA, Inc. of Pennsylvania is a nonprofit that seeks to empower the North Philadelphia community through advocacy, and the education and leadership development of its youth. In addition to its vast array of extended learning programs, ASPIRA of PA also operates five charter schools and a preschool. For more information, please contact our Development Director at 215-455-1300 x 117.

# # #